A Sad, Frequent Question. With No Sane Answer

Letters of a certain similarity regularly show up in my
e-mail in-basket, hoping I might have answer to the public policy conundrum
created by South Florida’s over-reaching sex offender residency restrictions.

The following
came from a Miami-Dade woman who had been unable to elicit an answer from public
officials, who have pretended, for two years now, that the growing colony of
outcasts under the Julie Tuttle Causeway is unrelated to an ill-conceived
public policy.

Of course, they’re
dodging this woman because there is no answer. There is no legal place for her
brother to live except the dank underside of the Biscayne Bay bridge.I’ve removed her name and address to protect
her from the mean spirited.

I am the sister
of a sexual offender. I am writing in the hopes that you could provide me and
my family with some answers to some questions that we are having difficulty
with. We have tried countless and dozens of times to contact and speak with as
many different offices and departments regarding the re-entry of a sex
offender, who happens to be our loved one, and in return we always end up empty
handed or scoffed at by the person(s) on the other end of the phone. Listed
below are our questions:

1.Once
my brother is released from Ft. Leavenworth, KS, most likely by the end of this
year, where can he reside within the limits of the Miami Dade county
ordinances, other than under the Julia Tuttle causeway?

2.Where
can he obtain a letter of employment or assistance from somewhere in Miami Dade
County?

3.Can
he reside in our parent’s home located in Opa-Locka upon
his release?

There are hundreds of other questions we need answers to but
no one will listen or take the time to help us. He will need housing and
treatment once he is released and we have been very unsuccessful in finding
suitable housing and/or treatment facilities in the Miami Dade County area.
Living under a bridge is inhumane and is not an option for us. We are
determined and our spirit will not be broken despite of all the obstacles put
in our path. If you could and have any information that can point us in the
right direction, or know of someone, or know of a program, please let us
know. Your help and attention to this
matter would be utterly and immensely appreciated.